I spend a good hour or two every morning just catching up on social media news and industry trends. As I go through the articles filtered into my Google alert feed, my brain is already trying to consolidate ideas into potential content angles. If I end up with several feasible concepts in my brain before I finish reading, I can get to the work for the day. But, as limited as we are on time, this is not the best way to react to creating social content.
Because creating social media content nowadays is much like cooking a whole meal. You can anticipate the ingredients you need and prepare the proper cooking utensils. But you’ll still have to make split-second decisions to grab the freshest catch. And with a format like the Instagram Reels, that catch is the audio.
Trying to gather the perfect video clip, trending audio, and a description on the spot, as frequently as every day, won’t do much good to your schedule (or your sanity). Instead, here are my three takeaways for you to prepare your ‘meal’ in advance without jeopardizing the potential success of your Reels:
1. Collect company-relate video footage
Always have an asset library. Shoot moments in your workday that do not require going out of your way. Record the weather, and video your coffee brewing process. The footage might appear senseless at the time, but it will capture something companies find hard to replicate – which is authenticity.
Build an organized drive where you can invite colleagues to contribute. Use the time you would have scavenging for a clip to send weekly themes to the team. Topics can be as simple as “record your commute” or “your desk setup”. Having a library of short clips is like having a full-stocked fridge on a rainy day. It’s so much easier when you can assemble what you have instead of panicking to find resources on the spot.
Or maybe feeding fish? @cochinaquatic , a fish farm company account received more than 144 million views and 9 million likes on their simple fish feeding reel.
2. Engage with reels related to your company’s belief
Tailor your feed. Use your company account to engage with Reels like-minded with the brand mission. Since Instagram determines suggested posts based on your activity, the platform will feed you content with similar subjects or topics you’ve previously engaged with. Hence, your engagement can assist Instagram to automatically feed you content that uses audio likely to also be suitable for your content. Save this audio for future use, or immediately make your Reel by mixing it with videos from your asset library.
3. Adapt descriptions from existing copies
Remix what you have. It’s what Reels are at the end of the day. Create a note and paste copies from your company blog, press release, social media posts, and other branding materials that speak to your brand belief.
What company belief can a coffee brewing Reel reinforce? Does it reflect the company culture, employee advocacy, or a specific mindset? Tell your audiences in the description by reassembling relevant pre-written copies.
Here’s a Reel I made by following the three takeaways:
Not viral material, but generating 5,700+ views with just 30 minutes of work is definitely something I’d do again.
The point is to position yourself as the assembler instead of the creator to speed up the Reels making process. In essence, the three ways mentioned are helping you unconsciously delegate the Reels creation process. So start by building an asset library, tailoring your feed, and remixing what you have. Because content creation doesn’t have to be about reinventing the wheel. It’s really about working smart to achieve scalability, wouldn’t you agree?